Where to shop local on Mallorca

Remembering that this is Bank Holiday Weekend, August is the worst time for things to go wrong. It’s time consuming and many are closed for holidays. These pages are to help those who do not wish to brave the heat as I share from my own directory of services tried and tested through personal experience. From great beauty and well-being centres, trusted babysitting care to where to go to safely freshen your dirty home or boat soft furnishings and sharpen blunt knives. If mosquitos are giving you a hard time and you’re looking for nets to cover your windows or doors look below. Just cut out this list and keep for future use.

1 TIP TOP MALLORCA
As temperatures soar requiring solid shade and mosquitos abound, Tip Top has never disappointed me. For over 35 years offering top quality products, reliable experienced installation and helpful aftercare. Their innovative concertina mosquito doors have been a life-changer! They fitted my awnings brilliantly 15 years ago, and I am forever grateful for the special sound-proofed bedroom windows they recently installed that have been tested to the extreme. Indeed, they carry all the latest innovative products from sun protection blinds to the highest specification German award winning Markilux awnings and Corradi Pergola systems. For experience, quality and advice I always advise first stop, Tip Top. Tel: 971 693 004.

2 DENISE BEAUTY, PORTALS NOUS
Need some grooming before heading to the beach? Denise is always my first stop for all beauty treatments. With excellent products and therapists you can trust for your nails and skin. Denise uses only top-quality brands Guinot, Gelish, Biodroga, Revitalash, Sans Soucis, Shellac, Corpora and Montibello. For 31 years Denise has incorporated the newest technology, using some of the best products on the market. Deep cleansing nourishing facials for all ages including Guinot’s much acclaimed Hydradermie and Age Summin to Montibello Hyalufeel Water Shot and Vitamin Treatment, all carried out by highly skilled beauticians. A place where most importantly these days, you can trust absolute sanitisation and cleanliness. Denise herself is a qualified chiropodist and only employs the most qualified therapists. Let the pampering start the moment you walk through the door. Enjoy the tranquillity and wonderful aroma of the products. Tel: 971 677 136.

3 SALLY’S ANGELS
(Including babysitting) are true to their name, giving trained support and care from beginning to end of life. Ensuring families with young children can relax and enjoy their holidays, they have highly qualified nannies and babysitters. For the elderly, unwell or homebound there are trained nurses, midwives, carers and companions to help with all necessary to ensure independence and comfort at home. Recovering from a serious operation alone, my friend says she could not have coped without Sally’s service. Her Angel shopped, prepared food, drove her to hospital appointments and then translated. She even walked her dog. During lockdown her Angels were shopping and providing home care. When my elderly father fell, Sally painstakingly patched his complex wounds with such good humour Dad hardly felt the pain. These are real life Angels! Tel: 971 691 187/619 070 100.

4 BODHANA WELLNESS CENTRE
Above Puerto Portals and the idyllic Balneario Beach Club Illetas Beach. A haven for body and soul! For over 20 years, Bodhana Wellness Centre has been on hand 7 days a week with a wide variety of treatments, to massage away painful muscles, ease tension, and generally promote well-being. Always on call, are more highly trained therapists than necessary to accommodate spontaneous bookings and walk-in clients. Most popular is their 60– 90 minutes full body massage, a mixture of deep tissue and stress release massage, to ease knots and contractions, leaving you totally relaxed. Also specialising in the highest standard of holistic treatments, one of my favourites being Reflexology. Their gift vouchers are always particularly appreciated presents. Open 9:00-20:00 during the week:11:00-19:00 on weekends. 971 676 469. Combine beach time with the ultimate in pampering at their Balneario Illetas Beach Club open till November.

5 PORTALS PREMIER LAUNDRY
First stop for specialist cleaning for all your clothes, household and boat soft furnishings. Since new management took over in 2017, everything I have sent to be cleaned has come out like new. The reason is not only staff care, but also their revolutionary state-of-the-art new machines with high-tech wash programs that can achieve virtual miracles. Also hailed as being the most eco-friendly on the market. I was especially impressed by my pillows coming back plumped up free of any lurking bugs. The wide range of cleaning services include ironing, in-situ rug and carpet cleaning and an antibacterial wash formula using highest quality products. They collect and deliver cleaning island wide, especially catering to the yachting industry, restaurants and hotels. 24 hour hotline 606 859 560.

6 DOCTOR-KNIFE
Don’t throw it away because of blunt edges; just call Doctor Knife! Not only does he expertly sharpening a wide range of knives for both homes, restaurants and commercial use, but also removing nicks in the blades and polishing them to look like new. Chef’s, Japanese, Damascus Knives as well as your daily kitchen knives. In fact, specialising in sharpening every kind of scissors and gardening tools. A veritable sharpening wizard! Tel: 681 085 295.

7 DANIA DANIEL TRANSLATIONS
Need some specialist translations? Look no further. Dania is a dedicated language services professional with over 6 years’ experience in the translation industry. Born and raised in Scotland, Dania studied Law and French at the University of Strathclyde. She spent a year in France as an Erasmus student studying Law together with French language and culture. In 2008 she relocated to Barcelona to pursue her love of languages and different cultures. Building upon a strong academic background in law and languages, she has now built a successful career in legal translations helping Spanish and UK law firms, multinational businesses and private clients navigate between the different cultures and legal systems. So a great choice for even legally complex translations! Tel: 698 328 745.

8 BAXTERS LIVIN
Graham Baxter opened his large new Estate Agent offices recently opposite the Marina Portals Hotel in Portals Nous. Graham founded Baxter Marine in Puerto Portals 30 years ago, and has been 40 years in the property business. His experience of local real estate exceptional, plus his enthusiasm to find the perfect property for each client; whether it be renting, buying or selling. “I love the business and am very knowledgeable of the values of real estate, together with new and second-hand yachts. “I like to help people live their dreams …it’s all about LIVIN!” Tel:971 400 961/622 43 388.

9 ADRIANA ALTERATIONS & DRESSMAKING
This lady, opposite the Marina Portals Hotel in Portals Nous, near Baxter Livin, is a master of alterations. There’s nothing she can’t do. Thanks to lockdown Adriana has been busy letting out some of my favourite outfits. She’s so inventive, often making a feature. I have a dress with new elegant side panels that you would never have guessed were there simply to enable me to do up the zip. Another time, she reduced my late mother’s elegant winter coat from a size 44 to a 38. Fortunately, she left enough material as I fear she’ll be letting it out again next season. She also takes in washing and ironing. Tel:622 361 490.

10 WEBBS INTERNATIONAL REMOVALS
For over 36 years Webbs have specialised in moving all types of goods between the UK and the Balearics. Taking great pride in being fully legal, licenced and reliable, they have painlessly moved endless family’s possessions in both directions. Each item carefully packed to ensure everything arrives in perfect condition. If you value your goods, Webbs are highly recommended Tel:971 693 566/619 247 823.

11 UK TV MALLORCA
Looking to install internet or satellite television to offer you countless new viewing options, give Chris and Brian at UK TV Mallorca a call. They have been providing excellent punctual service since 1999, with all work carried out by highly qualified experienced engineers. Tel: 619 455 566/971 141 003.

12 RITA LAST INSURANCE SERVICES
Last but certainly not least; looking for the best option of insurance? I have known Rita Last since she was the efficient manageress of a large insurance company on the island. With over 20 years’ experience, she offers honest advice as she dedicates herself to each client, locating the most comprehensive bespoke insurance cover at the best price. Whether home, cars, boats or health insurance you can have total confidence in her in depth of knowledge and wise product advice. Tel: 618 327 307.